Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy ruined a high school football game in Idaho Friday night by refusing to wear a mask, leading school officials to cancel the game at halftime.
Bundy, who was denied entry to the Caldwell High School stadium for not wearing a mask, watched the first half of the game against Emmett High School — where his son plays — from behind the end zone. But after school officials repeatedly insisted that he put on a mask while on school property, to no avail, they called the game.
Bundy hung around afterward, outside the stadium, and arguing with attendees about history and his right not to wear a mask.
In a video after the game was called off, Bundy compared himself to Jews in Germany in the 1930s and Black people in the Jim Crow South.
“When I was standing there and my family was standing there, I honestly could imagine, accurately I believe, what a Jewish person felt in the 30s in Germany,” he said. “Especially the beginning, how they were discriminated against, they were told that it was a health crisis to have them in their society because their genes were inferior.”
The right-wing activist, who in 2016 led an armed multi-week occupation of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon, has in recent months taken up the cause of opposing public health orders to stem the spread of COVID-19. He was arrested twice at the Idaho state legislature last month and was subsequently barred from the capitol grounds for a year.
On Friday, according to Bundy and local reports, Caldwell School District shut down the game after Bundy refused to wear a mask on school grounds. Video from Bundy shows a coach from Emmett asking Bundy to cooperate with the school. The game’s cancellation, the coach said, “is going to harm a lot of people.”
“You know what’s going to harm more people? Allowing this stuff to go on,” Bundy replied. “You know that coach!”
Caldwell Police Department spokesman Joey Hoadley subsequently said, “Canyon County dispatch began receiving multiple calls from unidentified callers threatening acts of violence at the game stemming from the dispute over masks, at which time the decision was made to cancel the game for the safety of students and fans.”
Bundy posted several videos of the night, including one showing parents and students leaving the stadium at Caldwell High School.
“I’m furious, this is bullshit,” Bundy filmed one woman telling him. “These are kids, if you can’t just keep your mouth shut, stay home.”
“I don’t give two shits what you have to say, you’ve ruined it for everybody!” the woman added, as Bundy tried to explain his position.
Emmett led the game 35-0 at the half, KTVB noted.
